Thoughts, feelings, and testimony shared on this blog are solely those belonging to me and do not necessarily represent the beliefs and doctrines of the LDS faith. I am, however, an active member of the church and strive to do that which is morally correct and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

This is a copy of a recent YT letter I wrote to another you tube user.

You write; so why do you not allow some people into your temples, if ALL are welcome? I've always found that frankly offensive. If I have a Mormon friend and I'm not allowed to attend their marriage, this is out and out exclusion. It's NOT the form of Christianity I was raised in, where EVERYONE was welcome. A town drunk used to routinely walk into services in our church, and people would not shun him, but try to help him.... Why do LDS exclude people? Such as blacks in the early days...

Who may enter a temple.At baptism, we make certain covenants; to always remember Jesus Christ, to keep his commandments and be a witness unto God as a member of the body of Christ's church. In doing so, we are promised the spirit of the Lord. This is the beginning of our journey. After 1 year of being baptized, those who have lived after the "law of the Lord" then meet with a bishop. He asks them questions about their convictions and recommends the member to enter a temple, after ample preparation is complete. One does not and ought not to enter a temple on a whim. There is no "Sunday School" test that someone has to pass save ones desires to make additional covenants as discovered by the Bishop, the father of the ward. (A bishop is like a pastor who is given charge to be a judge in Israel)

Furthermore, Christ himself said, "Give not that which is holy unto Dogs... cast ye not your pearls before swine..." and he doesn't say this to belittle anyone... but a certain amount of preparation must be in order for those who are temple bound. Just as a child must be weaned from the milk before it can eat meat, so must a member prepare to enter into a temple. None are withheld from achieving this goal. Preparation is needed. The church has a program and does its part to prepare the membership for temple blessings.

In a world of "Instant Gratification," the Lord has it in mind to ensure that we prepare for eternity and that we don't do so lightly! The purpose of the church is to edify and prepare its members to keep baptismal covenants and continue to make additional covenants that prepares them to return to God's presence as Kings and Queens... priests and priestesses unto the most High God. (Compare Revelations 1:5-6)

None are or have been discouraged to be members of the LDS church and it is a common work to suggest otherwise. Although racists, bigots, and intolerant people exist in all walks of life and not just pertaining to things outside of religious organizations, the LDS church has always been the forerunner to tolerance. If you put away the pamphlets you've read and actually dig deeper into things, you'll discover that the LDS church was among the first to have multi-ethnic church service in the South while segregation remained a common attitude there and at no point were they denied membership, marriage, or other essential saving ordinances given to the faithful disciples of Christ.

We were first in the idea of abolishing of slavery in fact Joseph Smith announced his candidacy for US president in 1844 and one of his platforms would have been to "Abolish Slavery" altogether... we were the first to shun segregation but this is not what you've been programmed to accept. We're not a different church from before... we never were the evil that some suggest we are or were. We never had horns growing out of our head or any other silly concoction developed by fearful people. Misunderstanding breeds fear. Fear of the unknown... which is why LDS folks are labeled a cult... because in the minds of those who say, "You're a cult!" they're saying, in fine, "We do not understand you and we're afraid to find out so by saying you're a cult, it makes us feel better about not getting to know the real you..."

Who has been allowed to enter?Blacks have never been excluded from receiving the sacrament, having callings in the church, or been excluded from church services and other social events... ever! One passage in the Book of Mormon sums it up! "...and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." 2 Nephi 26:33

Apparently, you've not been to a sacrament service... or a Sunday school at an LDS church, have you?You'll find a warm welcome and possibly startled group of folks wanting to make your experience comfortable. You'd find the peace that Christ brings to the meeting and experience the joy that we all feel when we enter the chapel doors. Until you've experienced church for yourself, how could you know what goes on inside these doors? I welcome you to experience it one day just for yourself. I pray for this opportunity for you. May you know the Love that pours out of our church membership while you are yet around to enjoy it! Do not let your whole life's ideas or choices be based on what you see on "South Park" or what you've read on a deplorable pamphlet made to denigrate the LDS church!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Recently, I encountered someone on You Tube who suggests we worship Joseph Smith. I assure you we do not. We do not pray to Joseph Smith. No prayer recorded or implied suggests we do. Nothing in our church is done in the name of Joseph Smith. We revere him for being the prophet of the Restoration, that great restitution of all things predicted by Peter and others who were apostles.

¶ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.Acts 3:19-21

I'm surprised I have to clarify certain things regarding what we believe as far as to whom we pray to. We pray as Jesus taught us to pray, addressing "Our Father which art in heaven..." and we do all things in the name of Christ, who is our advocate with the father. Everything done by the early Apostles was so done in the name of Jesus Christ. So did the Elder's of the church.

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (James 5: 14)

John 16:23-26"...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you."

We pray to God the Father...speaking to the fatherand we close our prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Jesus Christ acts as an advocate with the Father..."we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."1 John 2:1 (paraphrased)

John's words have been translated and the person translating the ancient text figured that the word, "Advocate" best describes Jesus Christ as we appeal to return and live with the Father in heaven.

Advocate;1. a person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person, cause, etc. (usually fol. by of): an advocate of peace.2. a person who pleads for or in behalf of another; intercessor.3. a person who pleads the cause of another in a court of law.

Satan has been described as the "prosecutor." and Christ's roleas advocate comes between us and the Father just as a court oflaw one has a lawyer who speaks on our behalf.

Friday, January 22, 2010

"Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father." John 6: 46

God will choose whom he will and men will deny it. They will find reasons why not to believe them and their reasoning may be well thought out and logical but this does not change the plan in which God uses to reveal truth unto men. Jesus Christ, the greatest of them all, was still somehow found guilty of treason and heresy but there are few Christians today who would subscribe to such an idea. Having written that, there are many who have taken the role of the Jews and use their reasoning to condemn the things that they do not understand today. They pit the restored gospel up against their own knowledge and they consider their wisdom above the revealed word of God.

Isaiah saw a day when the wisdom of men would be proven folly.

"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." Isaiah 29:13-14

The precepts of men have prevailed for centuries. Ideas like the Nicene Creed would perish along with any other man made theory about the doctrines and gospel of Christ. We are living in a great time with the light of the gospel taught in its purity or neither you or I have the full story. Without prophets, both of us would be in error and neither of us would be correct... but the Lord has begun this mighty work... the stone which has been cut out of the mountain without hands continue to roll forth throughout the whole earth and will continue to do so with or without our consent.

I only prefer that I am found helping to push or pull this great stone foreseen by Daniel instead of watching it from the sidelines, arms folded, and wondering what all of the fuss is about.

43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

In other words, during the days of the many European Kingdoms as represented by the iron mixed with miry clay, would this kingdom of the Lord then be established. We just have to but track the kingdoms from the Babylonians on down the line until there were "many kingdoms" round the world. The Spaniards were not united with the English... the French were separate from the Portuguese... all in fine, were the kingdoms in which Daniel saw and it would be during the existence of these kingdoms that we would see this great work. If Christ had not set this great work up, it would be everlastingly too late for the prophecy in which Daniel saw should come forth. There are no longer many of those kingdoms. The stone has already begun to break these kingdoms up. This work has already begun.

45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

The prophecies of Daniel would come forth and all be fulfilled or he is not a prophet.

"How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints."D&C 121:33

It is my desire that you no longer aim to prove these things to be false... but that you seek to learn from God in heaven that they are true. Be not like unto the Jews who continuously questioned Jesus and ultimately found him guilty of heresy. You will always find something that you don't agree with but it is not the labor of men to bend the will of God to their understanding of it... but the other way around.

I testify that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration... that Thomas Monson is the Lord's representative today. He is the steward of modern Israel and we continue to be directed by prophets. The Lord has chosen these men to be his representatives until the time in which Jesus Christ shall return. We look forward to the day when he does. There is much to do in the Lord's vineyard. It is my prayer that someday we will work along side one another in this great work.

Monday, January 18, 2010

On one of my YT video threads, I had just a Book, Chapter and verse to review. I'm not criticizing him for leaving the scripture. It's a wonderful verse but it, in kind, is an example of 'scripture mining' and reading them out of context. In this blog entry, I attempt to bring this scripture to life as it was left on my comment thread as still born.

Take Col 2:8 for example; let me give you a full and complete background for it.

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Col 2:8

Who: Paul is writing. To whom? The Church in Colossae, or the Colossians. Why? Or what problems were they facing in that early church?

The warning was written to the saints or members of the church as Colossians and in this verse, he counsels them to avoid the traditions of their day; from the article, "Unearthing Ancient Colossae in Southern Turkey: theology and archaeology in dialogue." by Michael Tanner, we learn,

"Some Colossian Christians had become very attracted to the ascetical and religious practices of local folk religions. The exact nature of these practices is uncertain though it is clear that they contained a mixture of pagan elements and Jewish ascetical practices, combined with the worship of local and foreign deities." (ie, Roman or Greek Gods... Zeus, Jupiter, etc...)

Let's apply this apples to apples comparison to our day;

What Paul warned the the Colossian Church about could very well equate to our celebration of Christmas and Easter. Now I like both Christmas and Easter but not for the reasons we see them portrayed.

Christmas = Family and Presents ... or it is a time to reflect on Jesus Christ; his birth, life and resurrection.

Easter = A bunny who hides eggs for the world to find? or we take time out to reflect on Christ's suffering for our sins, his death, and resurrection on the 3rd day.Or we celebrate this to the "Letter of the Law" like Orthodox Christians do and reject it altogether... but I see no harm in having special days of the year to reflect on the life of Christ...

In addition:The thinkers who lived in Colossae were into philosophy, science, astronomy and all manner of intellectual thinking. Paul wrote this letter to the church in order to help them fortify against the ideas that were espoused by those men of the City which did not support God as being the supreme being. They thought they knew of themselves and their wisdom of the cosmos trumped the understanding of God's people and his prophet, Peter... or the 12 Apostles, as well.

Such "Theorists" of Evolution, "Big Bang" and other non-creationist ideas prevail in our world today compare to the "great thinkers" in Colossae and is an "Apples to Apples comparison."

However, the more powerful the "telescope," the more support through evidence proves that the universe is "Galaxies without End" and denotes the hand of a "Great Creator" vs a big bang.

http://www.compassreview.org/summer02/8.html

Conclusion; Scriptures are not meant for private interpretation. They are not just words you can apply as a "Blanket CoverAll" over things that disagree with your assessment of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.I invite you to read scriptures in context. As I've said before, they are not just words to interpret. It was written for the church and canonized in scripture. Canonization does not mean blanket cover over all themes based on the understanding of the "reader." You were neither alive during their day nor are you a member of Paul's congregation. The Church of Jesus Christ of "Latter-day Saints" claims to be a modern counterpart to the early church & of the same organization. Just because your understanding of the gospel differs from Latter-day Prophets does not mean that we are not a modern extension of the early church.

I could do the same thing for you about Galatians 1:6-9... just about any other with proper preparation and study into the "context." What happens when people actually read the scriptures in the proper context, is they lean towards accepting the "True Gospel of Jesus Christ." as it is taught by modern prophets because those folks quickly realize that understanding prophecy is beyond them and an accurate understanding of the scriptures were best held by the prophets who wrote them. Those people yearn for the understanding of the prophets and imagine what it was like to sit down at Peter's feet to learn doctrine... and then they question to themselves, "Could those guys [Mormons] really have a prophet or not? But as long as you rely on your own understanding, which is limited to the understanding of men, it's a never ending cycle of "I know better because this verse says this..." or "My pastor says this..." never putting your own credentials or the credentials of others in check.

But if you interpret them privately or accept the private interpretations of your pastors and colleagues, they are just words that are hoped to befuddle or debunk the LDS church given without power or precedent. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church on the face of the earth that claims revelation from God through his prophets. I testify that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of the Lord and the prophet of the restoration. That Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and the current steward in Zion. I know that I learn the Gospel at the foot of prophets and I testify that priesthood authority is held by those men as well as myself, being an Elder in this church... the same sort of Elder found mentioned of in James 5:14

Sunday, January 17, 2010

2 Ne. 1: 7 7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

2 Ne. 10: 11 11 And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

God wants to call prophets. Because he loves us, he wants us to know his son, Jesus Christ, and the atonement he has made for men so that we too may be healed and washed clean from our sins. God wants all to be partakers of eternal life with him in the kingdom of his father, which is also our father.Our message is that he does and that he did again in the final days before his return. The only true way to understand the will of the Lord is by knowing it through his prophets.

Even Isaiah has said,

"For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts." - Isaiah 28:8-9

Vomit meaning "partially consumed word of God spewed out having been influenced by men's interpretation." Filthiness = (blushes) erm... well, yeah. (Poop) Digested food or digested word of God. Even excrement has SOME un-digested nutrients left in it. God's word with lost meaning or lost in translation. Who is up for Poop Soup? Apparently much of the world is. Wouldn't you and I rather take our nourishment from Mother's breast?

Most Christians consider us [Mormons] as a lesser version of Christianity because they assume that our gospel looks different than the one the way they understand it. Mainstream Christians only understand the gospel based on the source in which they draw forth living waters. What we claim, as Latter-day Saints, is access to these living waters from the "Rock," or a pure stream of living water. Just as Moses smote the rock and water came out to replenish the children of Israel, modern prophets do this for us today. [Compare Numbers Chapter 20]

Our water definitely looks different than water that has traveled downstream, picking up sediments and other influences of the earth as it travels across the ground heading towards the oceans and seas... but how can one know whether we are "Main Spring" Christians or not? We don't just say, "Hey, we're LDS! Hear and believe our message." by means of "Scriptural or Doctrinal Knowledge"We're not converted by spiritualism either...

The Lord has promised that we could know for assurance that we have living prophets today by testing the fruits of that prophet responsible for the restoration. One way to do so is to read the Book of Mormon and ask God if this work comes from him and then subsequently, had chosen Joseph to be a prophet.

Moroni, the last steward to the Book of Mormon therein gives us a promise;

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. Moroni 10:3-5

The experiment has been set forth in the realm of human learning and in the laboratories of our minds. What most folks now have permission to do is simply discover for themselves. Men can ignore it altogether by whatever reason they can imagine; they can listen to the opinions of others and choose not to test these things out. They can also just be disaffected by the whole thing and never get around to it. But Christ has promised great blessings to those who become, "As a little child..." For theirs is the kingdom of heaven and always has been. But none can say that the opportunity was not provided them who now live on the earth and come into contact with it.

The question on my mind is; Who will humble themselves enough to test these things out? Satan has been busy hardening hearts even since the days of Jesus when he speaks to his disciples saying,

"He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." John 12:40

My prayer for all men is that they soften their hearts to make the experiment, setting aside all previous opinions had by men about this book or the church that preaches from it.

If Einstein had conceded to the previous concepts written about the Universe; most of which, were made by Newton his hero, he might not ever have pushed through that barrier of understanding enough to test his theory of general relativity. In like manner, regardless of your previous understanding of things, I would exhort you, as Moroni did, that you test these things out for yourself.

My prayer is that you rely on God alone to know this "Marvelous work and a wonder" long prophesied by Isaiah should come about in our day. (Isaiah 29:11-14) That you may be the fruit harvested in the Lord's vineyard as well as a laborer in the vineyard, as the days of the Lord's return draw ever so close; even in the 11th hour does he call laborers to help lay up fruit against the season.

Josh Nelson

P.S. We believe we have a living prophet today just as God continued calling prophets after Moses. Joseph Smith was a modern day Moses for the contemporary gathering of Israel and in like manner, we have a prophet on the earth today. We have had modern day versions of Joshua, and Samuel and Isaiah and more. Thomas S. Monson is the current prophet and by him, we better understand the mission of Jesus Christ and how to be saved in the kingdom

Monday, January 11, 2010

"ALL SATAN NEEDS TO DO TO KEEP A PERSON AWAY FROM SALVATION IS TO MAKE THEM REJECT THE TRUE CHRIST". Truer words could not have been written. But I believe just as some do in this Jesus of Nazareth, even Jehovah or the promised Messiah.

Some folks have discovered that my ministry began not too long ago. I too have done my time in the prisons of thought and had been subject to habits that kept me from my place of worship. We've all been taught what we know and we are all creatures of habit.

We believe what we do because of the traditions of our fathers but none can live on borrowed light. As in the parable of the 10 virgins, it is meet that all men prepare to meet God and can not borrow oil from the lamp of another.

It really does all boil down to this. Joseph see what he said he saw or not? Because if he did, then it trumps all understanding.

It suggests a code previously unknown; having been lost over centuries all in thanks to uninspired men who suggest that God's involvement with men has ceased. It also goes toward Biblical prophecy seen by Daniel and Isaiah who not only saw the events which led up to the Messiah... but also the history of the world from the beginning to the end of days... (or the end of the world as we now know it)

Creeds were formed and ideas not made by the prophets and apostles have kept men in a funk for several centuries. It was those men who proclaimed "receiving divine inspiriation" that no more divine inspiration should occur again. These men act as doctors who suggest that I somehow have a non cureable cancer.

If it took us this long to realize that the world wasn't the center of the universe unto a more perfect understanding of the universe, why then could it not have been true for spiritual things?

He, just as Einstein (who proved and reproved centuries of scientific thought now trumps such men as Aristotle, then later Capernicus... then later Galileo... then Newton until finally, a correct thought about the universe in which we live could have been offered up) and similar to Einstein, men once again have broken through barriers of thought but not intellectually... but with the help of the divine. As I mentioned before about Moses, who also was a prophet of restoration, God has chosen prophets once more.

According to the words of Jeremiah, we may know how to tell. He shows us the way to judge in chapter 28; which reads,

"The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him." In other words, by their fruits, ye shall know them!

We believe that it is impossible for men to shut God up and keep him from speaking. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness... to which we interpret as, "God's work is never finished. It neither has beginning or end."

Why would we let men rob us of our faith by suggesting that miracles have ceased among men?This is what Satan would have us believe and not God. He succeeded in squelching the original church until there were no longer miracle workers upon the earth. Satan also works line upon line and teaches men precept upon precept beginning with creeds once thought to have been divinely inspired. How divinely inspired is it to suggest that "God is no longer a God of miracles?" Or that so unattainable is a knowledge of God or that we are not meant to understand the true nature of our father which art in heaven? God is not a calloused ruler who sits in the heavens above and says, "I've done all I can and now it is up to you."If this God in heaven differs from the one you think he is, get a second opinion.

If God never meant for us to know his true nature while traversing this world and we are just to have faith that somehow we'll be worthy to be in the presence of this unknown God (also having faith that we'll actually want to be around him for eternity) why do we persist and seek after that?

Thomas Jefferson said this, "Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear." but I want to add to this; "Question with boldness the ideas of men that suggest that God is unsearchable and unrelated to us."For to not do this brings us back to an age where men of Greece and Rome believed that their God's lived exalted above us in the heavens existing only to toy with us and move us around like pawns on earth as their play things.

It is my bold assertion that God is a loving father in heaven who desires that we as his children may come to know him through the Son. Jesus Christ, the great mediator of all men, helps us return to our heavenly home. The place where God dwells.

One can test the fruits of this latter-day prophet by reading one of the revealed works which was translated through Joseph Smith; who if having the power and gift of God to translate this record, this would help the Lord convince you that was the prophet of the restored church of Christ.

Book of Mormon at a glance. You Tube, "The Stick of Ephraim Part 3"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovWubpJHGkw

Knowing this would also help us discover the mysteries found in the scriptures regarding the "Apostacy" or the great falling away. Although we could discuss scripture for months at a time, it would all come to a point time and time again.Did God call Joseph Smith to be his latter-day messenger of truth? Read in the Book of Mormon to know for sure and do this for yourself!

I testify that this record is true! The stick of Ephraim has become one in our hands in these latter-days to add its witness of the divinity of the Lord, Jesus Christ!Prophets... restoration... everything that the Bible has mentioned would happen leading up to the second coming has come to pass and we are in the final moments, even in that late hour before his return. This I declare in the name of Jesus Christ.Amen!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

New! Christian Website explaining the "Doctrine of Circumcision" and the church's problem with it and why Paul wrote Galatians 1:6-9, and what it means. http://www.bassfishing.org/thebiblespeaks/Articles/Authority/Obey/perverting.htm
A working knowledge of the people who are receiving the message and what kind of spiritual error they had found themselves in.

Galatians 1:6-9 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Question: Are Latter-day Saints not Christian because they teach another gospel? Paul warned us about such people in Galatians 1:6-9.

A typical response to this accusation is that Latter-day Saints do not teach a different Gospel than was preached by the ancient apostIes--it is the various Christian sects who do. But this response is incomplete because the original question is based on an erroneous understanding of Galations 1:6-9. We should examine this scripture closely and determine who was writing to whom, when, and why.

Paul was writing to the Galatians to warn them about what he perceived as a growing problem within the Church itself. People had entered his flock, attempting to mislead it by preaching another gospel, a perverted one, different from the one that Paul himself had preached to these Gentiles who had just joined the Church.

Who were these people? Were these pagans or some other brand of non-Christians preaching a perverted gospel? It was neither. In fact, they were fellow Christians from the Church at Jerusalem who were trying to solve what they saw as a growing problem among the non Jewish converts. The brethren from Jerusalem wanted all male converts, Jewish and Gentiles alike, to comply with the requirement of circumcision and to make a commitment to keep the Law of Moses.

Earlier, Paul had been upset when Peter entered Paul's mission field teaching "another gospel" -- a gospel of circumcision, while Paul advocated the gospel of uncircumcision (Gal. 2:7). It was Peter who received the vision to widen the ministry to all people, including the Gentiles. This was a marked change from the ministry of Christ, who took his message only to the House of Israel. Yet Peter still wasn't convinced, as evidenced in Galatians 2, that there should be full fellowship with the uncircumcised Christians. Paul therefore referred to what Peter was teaching as another gospeI--the gospel of circumcision.

Students of the Bible know that circumcision was a divisive issue in the New Testament church for many years, even after Peter's vision of the "unclean" animals when he was told "what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" (Acts 10:15-35). This controversy over the gospel of circumcision (Gal. 2:7) caused so much of a disruption in the church that the Apostles once gathered in Jerusalem to resolve the issue and to determine and write their unified position (Acts 15).

But back to Galatians--Paul was upset with Peter, who had been dining with the Gentile Christians until some of the Jewish Christians came into the area. Peter then separated himself from the Gentiles, which was so upsetting to Paul that he "withstood him to the face," or in other words, discussed it openly with Peter at Antioch (Gal. 2:11).

Paul continued to be angered by Peter and certain others who were still preaching the gospel of circumcision to the uncircumcised Gentile Christians.

"If God's redeeming grace was to be received by faith, and not by conformity with the Law of Moses, then it was available on equal terms to Jew and Gentile and to make a distinction in practice between Jewish and Gentile believers, as Peter and the others were doing, was in practice to deny the gospel."

(Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, p.178).

Galatians 1:6-9 has to do with a specific doctrinal problem confronting the early Christians. To apply this scripture to any other doctrine with which detractors disagree is to wrest the scriptures.

Derived from the original source at; http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/another-gospel.htm

One-Minute Answers by Stephen R. Gibson

In conclusion:

Galatians 1:6-9 is the most quoted 4 verses in the Bible. Some do not take into account a Cultural Background of the people receiving the words or of the man giving the word.

Context; Who is writing and to whom and what for.

General scriptural knowledge of the surrounding verses further into the letter or sometimes in other records; ie, something written in Acts coincides with one of Paul's letter's, disagreements between Apostles, practices of the Jews and how those early Christians had trouble letting them go, etc.